Christine Robinson, 59, who was originally from Liverpool but had been living in South Africa for about 10 years, is thought to have been found stabbed to death and robbed.

Her body was found on Wednesday in her bedroom at the game lodge she owned in Limpopo, near Thabazimbi, 150 miles north-west of Johannesburg.

The wages she had just withdrawn to pay staff were missing, according to a family spokesman.

Mrs Robinson, a former primary school teacher, jointly owned the game lodge with her husband, Robbie, who died from cancer two years ago.

Her niece Lehanne Sergison, 43, from Bickley, Kent, said friends and family are "heartbroken".

There has been frustration over the fact the press seems to have more information about the incident than the family.

"We know very little. She was murdered on Wednesday. We haven't had much joy out of the police in South Africa, so we don't really know anything more than that," Ms Sergison said.

She added that they read reports online that she was beaten and stabbed but said this has not been confirmed by police.

"The Foreign Office confirmed on Thursday morning that there was a suspect but there was a suspicion that he'd fled to Zimbabwe," she said.

The victim's niece said the family is worried that the case will be forgotten - but said they will not rest until justice is done.

"She was wonderful, she really was a wonderful lady. Very kind, humble woman. It's hard to express how wonderful she is," Ms Sergison said of her aunt.

She added: " Christine was the most wonderful woman anyone could wish to meet, a warm, cheerful, compassionate, kind-hearted and very popular human being, who enriched the lives of everyone she met.

"She was also bubbly and full of fun - a born storyteller, who liked people and talked to anyone, albeit someone she'd just met waiting for a bus.

"She was adventurous, too, and travelled the world - Europe, the Middle East and China - teaching English to foreign children in international schools. They would have adored her as all her family and friends did.

"She had an enviable generosity of spirit, was impossible to dislike and made friends very easily."

She also said her aunt treated her employees "as family".

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We were notified of the death of a British national on July 30 in South Africa. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."